Lower Than Atlantis

Didn’t really know what to expect from this lot. I expected to be the oldest there, though, and I was. By a long way. Sadly.

Date: October 4, 2012

Venue: Rescue Rooms

“LTA, LTA…” is the unanimous acronymical cry from the bustling mob that await Lower Than Atlantis, Watford’s hardcore finest, before they tear the packed Rescue Rooms apart with their first of many hardcore/post-hardcore anthems.

But from then on in, we witness front man Mike Duce’s demanding side. Instructions of how to conduct ourselves during the next song go something like “jump, and go ape”.

Needless to say, the crowd react, and a frothing sea of limbs, hair and alcohol merge like it’s the most natural marriage in the universe.

But a trait has emerged. Duce wants more from his audience, and forcefully announces early in the gig that it’s customary for everyone to sit down.Regardless of awkwardness and discomfort, no one is willing to argue, and promptly squats down like obedient labradors at Crufts until the command of “jump” is vomited from our axe-weilding Fuhrer.

Even as the show ends with the crowd-pleasing Jimmy Eat World-evoking ‘Deadliest Catch’, Duce still demands that his audience obey his wishes with one last massive sing song.

It’s been all ‘want, want, want’ with this guy. A pity, then, that he and his band leave the crowd wanting more with a ridiculously early finish of 9.40.